Karen Sanchez

Paulette Martinez
TTE 324
Science Lesson Plan
Benchmark Assignment
Title of Lesson: Chemical Reactions
Grade Level: 5th
Time Needed: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Lesson Overview: Students carefully observe three chemicals using several of their senses.
They combine these chemicals in a ziplock bag, then watch the chemicals in the bag change
color and bubble. They feel the chemicals get hot and wonder what is happening when the bag
grows bigger. This experience leads students to discover first hand what a chemical reaction is.
This lesson is a stand alone lesson which will be implemented to the whole class and students
will work in groups.
Driving Question: What happens when two or more chemicals are mixed together?
Ideal Response: Students will experience first hand what a chemical reaction is when they
combine two or more substances together. When students observe and analyze the substances
they will realize that the properties in the substances have changed. Students should discover
that the property changes in these chemicals are color change, production of gas, change in
temperature, and odors.
Disciplinary Core Ideas: PS1.B: Chemical Reactions-When two or more different substances
are mixed, a new substance with different properties may be formed. (5th grade; Framework for
K-12 science education, P. 108)
Cross-Cutting Concept: Cause and effect: Mechanism and explanation- investigating and
explaining casual relationships and the mechanisms by which they are mediated.

Practices:
Ask questions: students will ask questions about what happens when two or more chemicals
mix.
Carry out investigations: students will carry out investigations to determine how chemicals react
with one another.
Analyzing and interpreting data: students will collect and analyze data to help answer question
about how two or more chemicals react with each other.
Learning Goals:
Knowings

Students will know that:

When the chemicals, baking soda, calcium chloride, and phenol red solution are combined they
make a reaction, which make a new substance with a different set of properties.
Doings
Students will be able to:
Explain evidence such as changes in color, production of gas, heat, and odor.
Draw conclusions and make inferences based on evidence.
Language Learning Goals:
Goals for speaking, reading, and writing in science
Students will make predictions about how one or two chemicals will react with each other.
Students will record observations and write explanations about how chemicals react based on
evidence.
Students will talk in small groups about evidence they gathered that proves how chemicals
change properties.

Considerations for English Language Learners:

English language learners may talk with a language buddy.
English language learners may demonstrate evidence by drawing pictures.

Materials:
1.5 lbs. of sodium bicarbonate
3 lbs. of calcium chloride
phenol red powder concentrate to make one gallon of dilute phenol red solution
Masking tape or several sheets of self adhesive mailing labels
1 gallon, plastic container for mixing phenol red solution
1 plastic bucket
Access to a sink
Paper towels
Rubber gloves
Board and markers

Preparation:
Gather the materials
Prepare the phenol red solution
Label the containers
Fill containers with chemicals
Make one copy of the chemical reactions data sheets for each student
Place the following materials on a tray for each group of 4-6 students: baking soda, calcium
chloride, phenol red solution, two stir sticks, and chemical reactions worksheets
7. Arrange the room by pushing the desks together or moving tables so that there is one flat area
for each group.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Safety:
Tell students that they will be working with chemicals and that safety is very important

Explain that all of the chemicals they will be using could be hazardous if proper safety
guidelines are ignored
Safety guideline:
Keeping chemicals off clothes and skin
Rinsing with water if chemicals do make contact
Wiping up spills as they happen
Washing hands at the end of the activity
Lesson:
Title: Chemical Reactions

I-AIM Stage & Function: Question: Experience

Phenomena

Step by Step:
1. Students will be sitting in groups of 4-6.
2. Students will be asked to think of a time they combined different ingredients when cooking or
baking. What happened to those ingredients? How did they change?
3. Students will share ideas with their groups and class
Assessment:
Formative assessment-check with groups that students are sharing thoughts of what happens
when ingredients are mixed together and share with class.
Accommodations:
For students with no prior experience on baking/cooking, we can relate the lesson to a
specific food their family members make at home.

Title: Establish the Question

I-AIM Stage & Function: Question: Establish a

Question

Step by Step:
1. Ask students the driving question: What might happen when two chemicals are mixed
together?
2. Have students discuss their ideas with their groups
3. Have students share and make a list of their ideas on the board
Assessment:
Formative assessment-check with groups to make sure they are sharing their ideas with one
another and that each group shares at least one idea with the class
Accomodations:

Title: Observing the chemicals

Step by Step:

I-AIM Stage & Function: Explore and

Investigate: Explore Phenomena for
patterns

1. Discuss safety guidelines with students prior to giving them the materials
2. Distribute the 3 substances
3. Tell students that before mixing the chemicals, they are going to work with a partner to
describe each of the 3 chemicals
4. Model how to work with the chemicals and how to record observations (encourage detailed
observations)
5. Have each pair of students use all of their senses (except tasting and directly touching) to
come up with at least 5 observations of each chemical
6. Have students record their observations on Chemical Reactions data sheet about how the
substances look, feel, smell, and sound.
Assessment:
Formative assessment- Making sure all students are participating by having their 5
observations recorded on their graphic organizers
Accomodations:

Title: Mixing the Chemicals

I-AIM Stage & Function: Explore and

Investigate: Explore phenomena for patterns

Step by Step:
Have several students distribute the one tray of materials at each group
Explain to students that they will add the chemicals one by one in a ziplock bag
Model how to measure the substances
Ask students if they are comfortable following the step by step procedures in their groups or if
theyd like to do the activity as a class.
5. Remind students to record at least 5 observations
6. Tell students that after the chemicals have reacted they can open the bag to see if an odor
was produced (remind of safety procedures)
Assessment:
Formative assessment-check in with groups to see how activity is going and that they are
recording their 5 observations on the data sheet
Accommodations:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Title: Telling what happened

I-AIM Stage & Function: Explain: Students

explain patterns

Step by Step:
1. Collect the bags in a bucket and focus students attention on the board
2. Have the students share observations they made of what happened when the chemicals
mixed
3. Record their observations on the board
4. Compare this observation list with the list of predictions they generated at the beginning of the
activity

Assessment:
Formative assessment-Ask students what new observations they saw and have each group
contribute at least one observation
Accomodations:

Title: Introduce the concept of chemical reaction I-AIM Stage & Function:
Explain: Introduce scientific
ideas
Step by step:
Have students take out their science notebooks and be ready to take notes
Ask the driving question again and have students share ideas in groups
Present the following information:
evidence such as color change, production of gas, and odor, are all clues that chemicals are
reacting
when chemicals react, new substances are created. Temperature change indicates that
energy is being released or used as new substances form
present new vocabulary-reactants and products
3. Go over idea that no matter what when two or more substances mix, they will have a new set
of properties
4. Have students help clean up materials
Assessment:
Formative assessment-listen to students discuss the driving question with group members.
Make sure that students have written notes on new concepts and vocabulary
Accomodations:
1.
2.
3.

Students Science Toolkits:

Students Ideas- Have students make predictions about what they think will happen when two or
more substances are combined and write predictions on the board to be able to reference back
to at the end of the lesson.
Funds of knowledge- Family knowledge and experiences: Start the lesson by asking students
questions that will elicit familiar experiences, Who has baked a cake before? What ingredients
do you combine to make it? What happens when you mix them all together?
Lesson Artifacts:
Chemical Reactions data worksheet
Bibliography/Sources:
Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California. (1986). Chemical Reactions: Teacher's
Guide. Berkeley, CA: The Regents of the University of California.

EPE Table
Experiences (with
phenomena)

Patterns

Explanations (ideal
answer; explains how and
why)

Experiencing chemical
reactions by mixing-is this
one reaction?
Baking soda
Calcium chloride
Phenol red
Thinking of two
substances that change
when you mix them
together (i.e. milk and
chocolate powder turns
into chocolate milk).-good
out of school connection

Changes color (red to

yellow)
Smells different
Solid disappeared
Changes temperature
Makes a gas
Makes bubbles

Evidence such as color

changes, production of gas,
and odor are all clues that
chemicals are reacting.
Temperature change
indicates that energy is
being released and new
substances are formed.
These are very good
explanations to include
make sure to use these to
go a bit farther in your
ideal answer - for
example,, will you be
introducing scientific ideas
relating to exothermic vs
endothermic reactions at
all?